Furnace-grate



PATBNTED FEB. 23, 1904.

H. A. POPPBNHUSEN.

l FURNACB' GRATE. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 12, 190s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No MODEL.

PATENTBD FEB. 28, 1904.

H. A. POPPENHUSEN.

FURNACE GRATB.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 12, 190s. No MODEL, a SHEETS-SHEET z.

- PATENTEDFBB.23,1`9G4. H. A. POPPBNHUSEN.

FURNAOB GRATE. APPLIGATION FILED lux. 12. 190m 1m MODEL.

fue xmms meas an. word-umu., ns1-nunonl u c Patented February 23, 1904i UNITED, STATES l PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN A. roPrENHUsEN, or EvANsToN, ILLINoIs.

FURNACES-GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming .part of Letters Patent N0. 753,108, dated February 23, 1904.

i Application filed March l2, 1903. Serial No. 147,389. (No model.)

To @Hicham it mag/concern,.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. PQPPEMIU- SEN, of Evanston, in the county of Cook'and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furnace-Grates; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fuel-feeding devices forA furnaces of that kind having an endless traveling grate by which fuel delivered at the feed-opening of thefurnace is fed inwardly or advanced through the furnace while combustion is taking place, and more especially to features of construction in the frame by which the operative vparts of the grate are supported.

rlhe invention consists in the matters hereinafter described., and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accom pan ying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a traveling chain grate and its supporting-frame. Fig. 2 is a front view of the frame with the belt shown in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section through one of the side plates of the grate-frame, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a like section taken on line 4: 4.' of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 isa like section taken onV line 5 5 of Fig.` l. a detail view showing the inner face of the rearrnost -section df one of the side plates of the grate-supporting frame. Fig. is a detail view showing the inner face of one of the forward sections of one side of the side plates of the grate-supporting frame. Fig. 8 is a detail side view of one of the bearing-blocks.

for the upper supporting-rollers. Fig. 9 isa detail cross-section of the upper part of one of the side frame-plates, taken through one C C?, over which the endless-belt grate B isl trained and by which the same is supported.

Fig. 6 isl at their ends to the forward and rear plates f D and D. The side walls of the furnace are provided with recesses to receive the side frame-plates D D', and at the bottoms of the said recesses are located supported rails c a, on which rest the supporting-wheels E E of the grate-frame. Said supporting-wheels are attached to axles E' E', which have bearing at their ends in the lower edges of the frameplates D D. y

The plates D D of the` grate-supporting frame are shown as made of cast metal and as bolted rigidly to each other at their meets ing edges. The rear plates D D form the inner and main part of the longitudinal frame members,which are located inside of the front wall of the furnace when the frame is in its operative position. Y The forward plates D D form the forward part of said side members, which yare located outside of the front wall of the furnace and are extended upward above the level of the rear sections D to form the sidewall of a hopper which is located above the forward end of the traveling grate B and by means of which the fuel is fed to the said grate. The shaft C is shown as provided with gear-wheels C2, and a shaft C3 is mounted in the plates D D. Said shaft C3 and gear-wheels constitute part of a device for actuating the chain grate. The rearmost section D of one n of the side members is shown in detail in Fig.

6 and the forward section D in Fig. 7. It is to be noted, however, that the making in two sections ofthe lateral frame members is merely amat-ter of convenience in construction and that so far as the present invention is concerned said lateral frame members may be cast in a single piece. Each of the main longitudinal parts or sections D of the frame IOO are made of girder form or flanged at their upper and lower margins to give stiffness or rigidity thereto, said frame members consisting of flat vertically-arranged web portions Z, provided at their upper edges withV inwardlydirected horizontal flanges Z' and at their lower edges with like inwardly-directed horizontal iianges Z2. Said frame-member sections Dl are also provided with end and intermediate vertical flanges Z3 Z3 and Z4 Zi which extend inwardly from the web portions thereof and are joined at their upper and lower edges to the upper and lower horizontal flanges UZ (Z2.

rlhe grate B illustrated is a chain grate similar to those heretofore used and consists of a plurality of relatively short grate-bars, Which extend longitudinally of the grate and are pivotally connected with each other to form a chain or endless belt. The grate illustrated is formed by two sets or kinds of said gratebars, of which those marked D are adapted to engage the several sprocket-wheels C C7 and may be called driving-bars, while those marked B2 constitute the greater part of the fuel-supporting surface of the grate and are located between the driving-bars.

The sprocket-wheel shaft C at the front end of the grate is mounted at its ends in bearings c c, formed on the forward plates or castings D D, the inner parts of said bearings being formed by the recesses in the front margins of the plates and the outer parts of said bearings by means of caps l c', bolted to the said plates. The rear sprocket wheel shaft C is mounted at its ends in bearing blocks or boxes F, which are mounted to slide horizontally on guide-brackets D3, which project from the rear ends of and are cast integral with the rear sections of the lateral frame members. Said brackets D3 are shown as having the form of vertical webs provided with horizontal top flanges, the side margins of which form guide-ribs for the blocks F, which latter are provided with lateral guidegrooves engaging the said flanges. Provision is made for adjusting the position of the bearing-boxes F so as to adjust the shaft C horizontally, as may be necessary, for tightening the chain grate. Devices for this purpose herein shown consist of set-screws f, said setscrews f being arranged horizontally and inserted in the sides of the bearing-boxes F nearest the adjacent ends of the frame-plates and having fiat-sided heads which bear against vertical surfaces on the ends of said frameplates, so that by turning said set-screws the boxes may be shifted backwardly on the guideflanges of the brackets,with the result of shifting rearwardly the said shaft C', and thereby tightening the chain grate. The adjusting devices described may be applied as well to the forward sprocket-shaft C as to the rear shaft.

For the purpose of supporting or sustaining the horizontal parts, laps, or runs of the the upper marginal iiange Z of the side frame members. Sockets or seats for said bearingblocks are formed by meals of transverselyarranged vertical arms or flanges Z Z6, cast upon the said iianges Z and rising from the upper surface of the same.

The bearing-blocks Gr are shown as made of a plurality of flat faces arrangedat uniform distances from the central axes of the rollers, so that the blocks may be placed in the sockets on the frame members with either side thereof uppermost. In the particular construction shown said blocks are made octagonal in form and are adapted to be placed in the sockets formed by the anges Z3 Z with either face thereof upward. rlhis construction enables the bearing-blocks to be turned'or reversed in case of wear of the surfaces in contact with the parts which support them, so as to` bring new surfaces thereof in contact with said parts. TQ hold the bearingblocks from movement in the direction of the axes of the rollers, the supporting-surfaces of the sockets and the bearing-blocks are provided with interlitting grooves and flanges arranged transversely with respect to the rollers or longitudinally of the frame members. Preferably, and as shown, the iianges Z of theframe members are provided on their upper surfaces between the transverse iianges Z6 with longitudinal ribs Z which enter and t within grooves or notches c', formed in the said blocks G. Like grooves g are formed in all of the sidey faces of the bearing-blocks, so that said blocks will be engaged by the ribs Z7 when turned tor bring either side downward. The lowermost supporting-rollers H are similarly provided with trunnions L, which engage bearing-blocks H', which are made with uniformly-disposed flat faces like the bearing-blocks G above described. Said bearing-blocks H are adapted to rest upon the lower horizontal flanges Z2 of the side plates, which latter are provided with rectangular apertures Z8 opening through the outer faces thereof to receive the outer portions of said bearing-blocks.v For holding the said bearing blocks in place vertical flanges Z9 are located on the lower flange Z2 at one side of the seats for the said bearingblocks, said iianges rising `from the said lower flanges Z2 and projecting inwardly from the said web portion Z of the side plate, while the main vertical flanges Z hereinbefore referred to, are located at the opposite sides of said seats, so that said lflanges Z9 Zi together IOO IOS

form the side walls of the seats or sockets to receive and hold in place the said bearingblocks H. Longitudinal ribs d1 rise from the top surface of the lower flange d2 between the flanges Z9 and d* and are adapted to engage grooves It in the flat faces of the bearing-blocks H', so as to hold said bearingblocks from movement in a direction endwise of the rollers. By reason of the octagonal form of'the bearing-blocks H the same are made reversible or are capable of being partially rotated to bring new bearing-surfaces in contact with the sides and bottoms of the recesses, to which they are held in the same manner as before described in connection with the upper bearing-blocks G'.

In the construction illustrated the lower longitudinal stiffening -iianges on the side plates D of the grate-supporting frame are directed inwardly from the vertical or web portions ofsaid members, and the lower lap or run of the chain-grate is located at a considerable distance above the level of said inwardly-directed flanges. A general advantage in the operation of the grate is gained by this feature of construction, whether the bearings for the supporting-rollers H H are supported on the side members in the particular manner shown or otherwise, as may be understood from the following.

In grates of this character it is highly desirable that all of the air entering beneath the upper lap of the grate, on which the burning fuel rests, should pass through said upper lap of the grate, and provision is usually madeto prevent the upward passage of air between the side edges of the upper lap and the wall of the furnace by extending inwardly the said side wall above the recesses in which the side plates are located, so the latter will stand close to the side edges of the said upper lap of the grate. In the construction illustrated the projecting part of the walls above said recesses are supported by means of longitudinal metal plates A. Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the margins of which are located a short distance only from the side margins of the said upper lap of the grate. It is also highly desir-able in grates of this character that air entering the ash pit or space below the lower lap or run of the grate be freely admitted to the under surface of the upper lap thereof. The air which passes through the lower lap of the grate is not sufhcient for this purpose, because the spaces afforded for the passage of air in the lower lap or run are no greater than those in the upper lap and it is found that much better results be obtained in combustion by providing a much greater area for flanges d2 d2 with respect to the side edge of the lower lap of the grate that the said side edges shall be considerably above the level of said flanges longitudinal openings or spaces are provided at either side of the said lower lap equal in width to the distance between said side edges of the lower lap and the inner faces of the web portions Z of the said side members for the upward passage of air from the space beneath the lower lap to the space above said lower lap, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. These longitudinal spaces or openings aiford a very considerably Vgreater area of openings for the ingress of air to the space below the upper lap of the grate over that afforded by the openings in the Ilower lap alone, and greatly in excess of that afforded in the earlier construction,wherein the side members of the supporting-frame have outwardly-directed stiifening-flanges, and the side margins of the lower lap of the belt are in consequence located closely adjacent to the vertical or web portion of the said side members. The said side members of the grate-supporting frame are shown provided with openings in the web portions thereof which are made of considerable size and are adapted t0 permit inward passage of such air as may enter the space between the lower margins of the said side members and the adjacent surface of the said side walls A of the furnace-wall. IVhile the air thus entering through the openings in the side members will supplement that which enters between the side edges of the lower lap of the grate and the web portions of said side frame members, as above described, yet it is very small in quantity compared with that which passes around the side margins of the lower lap by reason of the openings afforded for this purposexthrough the construction above described.

While the free ingress of air to the space below the upper lap of the grate is highly desirable in the main part of the grate or that on which the principal part of the burning fuel rests, yet at the rear end of the grate where the fuel is nearly consumed it is desirable that less supply of air should be furnished in order that the air may not escape too freely through the grate at such rear end of the lower lap of the grate as follows: For a considerable distance forward from the rear ends of the side frame members the web portions of the said side members are oset inwardly, so as to bring them close to the side edges of the lower lap of the grate, the offset parts TOO IIO

rising from the inner edges of the flanges Z2 to a point opposite the lower margin of the lap of the grate, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The side member in its part above the portion el of the web are, moreover, without any openings. By this construction a narrow space only is afforded between the parts CZ al of the said webs CZ and the side margins of the lower lap at the rear part of the grate, so that the supply of air is practically cut off at these points, while no air is admitted through the webs d CZ themselves. As a consequence the supply of air to the extreme rear end of the grate is limited to that which may flow rearwardly under the upper lap of the grate from the forward part thereof, the amount of air which passes through the rear end portion of the upper lap and the downwardly-moving part of said upper lap which passes around the rear sprocket-wheel being so greatly reduced as to have little eHect upon the air-supply furnished to the fuel resting on the forward or main part of the grate.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of an endless traveling grate and a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members, the lower lap of the grate being located above the level of the lower edge of said side members with their lower edges separated from the side members to afford longitudinal air-inlet openings between the side margins of said lower lap and the said side members of the frame, for the passage of air to the upper lap of the grate, and said side members at the rear part of the grate being inwardly offset and located closely adjacent to the side edgesof said lower lap to lessen the air-supply at such rear part of the grate.

2. The combination of an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor,having longitudinal side members and furnace side walls provided with recesses to receive said side members; said side members of the frame embracing vertical, web portions which are located closely adjacent to the furnace side walls and are provided with lower, inwardly-extending, horizontal stifening-flanges and the lower lap of the grate being located above the level of said stiffening-flanges, supportingrollers for said lower lap of the grate, and bearing-blocks for said rollers which rest on thetop of said stiffening-flanges.

3. The combination of an endless traveling grate, and asupporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members which embrace vertical, web portions, provided with lower, inwardly extending longitudinal stiffeningflanges, the lower lap of the grate being located above the level of said stiffening-flanges to afford longitudinal openings for admission of air to the upper lap of the grate and said web portions of the side members at the rear part of the grate being inwardly offset and located closely adjacent to the side edge of said lower lap to lessen the air-supply at such rear portion of the grate.

4. The combination of an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members, which embrace vertical web portions provided with upper and lower, horizontal, inwardly-extending stiffening-flanges, the upper lap of the grate being located above the level of the upper stiifeningflanges and the lower lap of the grate being located above the level of the lower stiifeningflanges, supporting-rollers f or the upper and lower laps of said grate and bearing-blocks for said rollers which rest upon and are supported by said upper and lower iianges.

5. The combination of an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members which are provided with vertical web portions having horizontally, longitudinal, inwardly-extending stiffening-flanges,supporting-rollers for the grate, and bearing-blocks forr the said supportingrollers, said frame members being provided with sockets to receive the bearing-blocks formed by means of transverse flanges which rise from the said longitudinal flanges.

6. The combination of an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members which are provided with vertical web portions having horizontally-arranged,longitudinal stiffening-ianges, supporting-rollers for the grate and bearingblocks for said supporting-rollers, said frame being provided with sockets to receive the bearing-blocks formed by means of transverse flanges which rise from the said longitudinal flanges, said bearing-blocks having a plurality of flat faces at uniform distances from the central axis of the rollers to enable the said blocks to be placed in said sockets and a plurality of positions.

7. The combination of an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members which are provided with vertical web portions having horizontally-arranged, longitudinal stiffening-ianges, supporting-rollers for the grate and bearingblocks for the ends of the said supportingrollers, said frame members being provided with sockets to receive the bearing-blocks formed by means of transverse flanges which rise from the said longitudinal flanges and said bearing-blocks and the said sockets being provided with interfitting grooves and projections to hold the bearing-blocks from movement in a direction endwise of the rollers.

8. The combinationof an endless traveling grate, a supporting-frame therefor having longitudinal side members which are provided with vertical web portions having horizontally-arranged, longitudinal stiffening-iianges, supporting-rollers for the grate, and bearingblocks for the ends of the said supportingrollers, said frame being provided with sockets to receive the bearing-blocks formed by IOO IIO

means of transverse flanges which rise from the said longitudinal fianges, said bearingblocks being provided with a pluralityT of'fiat faces arranged at uniform distances from the .central axes of therollers, all of the fiat faces of the blocks and the said sockets being provided with interfitting grooves and ribs to hold the blocks from movement in a direction endwise of the rollers.

9. The combination of an endless traveling grate,a supporting-frame therefor havinglongitudinal side members which embrace vertical Web portions having lower inwardly-extending horizontal stiifening-iianges, supporting-rollers at the lower lap of the grate, bearing-blocks for said rollers which rest upon and are supported Vby the said horizontal,

lower stifening-anges, said lower stifleningflanges being provided with transverse anges which rise from the same to form sockets to receive the said bearing-blocks and the vertical, web portions of the side members being provided with openings opposite said sockets to receive the outer ends of said bearing-blocks.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 7 th day of March, A. D. 1903.

HERMAN A. POPPENHUSEN.

Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, GERTRUDE BRYCE. 

